Setting Limits on the Higgs Mass

If there is a Higgs boson

the heavier it is, the less

Higgs events we expect.

Suppose that the Higgs mass is 80 GeV,

and suppose we expect 3 Higgs events.

We perform the experiment and observe 0.

The Poisson probability that 3 will fluctuate down to 0 is 5%:

There may still be an 80 GeV Higgs boson,

but it is only probable at the 5%.

A Higgs heavier than 80 Gev

is excluded at the 95% Confidence Level.

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